What do you think about Amarillo and Lubbock? (El Paso, Midland: how much, house)

[desert sun]

What do you think about Lubbock and Amarillo?

What are your impressions? Im just curious.

I really like the area, and the area is starting to grow on my girlfriend, she's been to Atlanta,Birmingham,Phoenix,Denver,El Paso,Vegas and Florida all fairly recently but she seems to like the Texas panhandle the best.

I know most people dont like flat land but to me its very nice, I love the plains and wide open spaces, that what I was raised on.

[shoe01]

I've spent very little time in Amarillo, so I'll focus on Lubbock:

I'm not from there, but every time I've gone, I've been impressed with the people and how friendly they are. It's also a much better place than people make it out to be, and has a bright future. If more people would go west of I-27, they might see why others feel that way.

[Cathy4017]

As a Tech-ex, I loved Lubbock when I lived there. I wouldn't mind living there again, but I'd REALLY miss the mountains. The flatness of Midland, Lubbock and Amarillo does take some getting used to (even though I am a West Texas native, our area was not nearly that flat).

If you liked the housing in your Portales pictures, I can see why you'd like Lubbock/Amarillo.

[texasexplorer]

I don't know much about Amarillo but I've been to Lubbock multiple times.I have family there.I live in Midland so I'm used to the flat land.I think Lubbock is a very nice city.I like the wider variety of stores and restaurants in Lubbock.Also, I like the fact that Loop 289 goes all the way around.I enjoy going there.I also like the fact that there's a higher percentage of members of the Churches of Christ(which is what I am) in Lubbock than Midland. I do not like that Lubbock is too far away from the big cities.I also think the winters may be too cold for me.I may live in Lubbock since I may go to Tech.Also, I may be a professor at Tech or Lubbock Christian University after that. It would be okay with me if God put me in Lubbock.
-texasexplorer

[juggler]

I was born and grew up in Lubbock. My impressions:

Pros: Lubbock is a very "easy" place to live. Everything is wide open, traffic is light, cost of living is low, the people are very friendly, schools are generally good, Texas Tech is a great university and continuing to improve, lots of restaurants and cultural events for its size.

Cons: the scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities are atrocious. There are very few high tech companies (this is a big con for me). Very little of the city caters to pedestrians and cyclists. Lots of sprawl. Downtown is frozen in the year 1958 (some efforts underway to improve this, but it is moving at a snail's pace).

Don't know much about Amarillo. Cattle, helium and Pantex come to mind.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by juggler

I was born and grew up in Lubbock. My impressions:

Pros: Lubbock is a very "easy" place to live. Everything is wide open, traffic is light, cost of living is low, the people are very friendly, schools are generally good, Texas Tech is a great university and continuing to improve, lots of restaurants and cultural events for its size.

Cons: the scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities are atrocious. There are very few high tech companies (this is a big con for me). Very little of the city caters to pedestrians and cyclists. Lots of sprawl. Downtown is frozen in the year 1958 (some efforts underway to improve this, but it is moving at a snail's pace).

Don't know much about Amarillo. Cattle, helium and Pantex come to mind.

"Easy" is an interesting way to describe it. I pretty much agree with this, except I don't think it's all that sprawly (or at least not anymore than most American cities). You're right about how the city doesn't cater to pedestrians, but the city is starting to fill in and it's surprisingly compact. My house is within a mile of a grocery store, movie theater, library, three elementaries, six shopping centers (majority of the stores/restaurants aren't chains), and six parks, and I live outside the Loop.
That being said, I've really liked growing up here, and think it's a very nice city. I can't tell you how many people I know that have settled down here after moving around for several years.

[desert sun]

I hadnt been to Lubbock in at least 7 years, I was there a couple days ago and I was surprised at how much it had grown, most people on City Data dont like anything having to do with the plains, but there is something special about the wide open land, and the feel of the city is a little bigger now it seems but still small town West Texas at heart it seems.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by desert sun

I hadnt been to Lubbock in at least 7 years, I was there a couple days ago and I was surprised at how much it had grown, most people on City Data dont like anything having to do with the plains, but there is something special about the wide open land, and the feel of the city is a little bigger now it seems but still small town West Texas at heart it seems.

I was shocked, too, at the growth after having been away for so long. Even when I lived in Midland, I didn't get up to Lubbock that much.

If that is the way you feel, then I suggest you GO for it when the opportunity presents itself.

Life's too short! I'm trying to figure out how to spend my winter elsewhere, but with the dogs it's a real deal-breaker. So, I'm just going to have to hope that Ski Apache is different this season...no signs of that happening.

[James2496]

I was born in the Panhandle and have relatives in both Lubbock and Amarillo. I prefer Amarillo. I can't really put my finger on it, but to me, Amarillo seems more cosmopolitan and upscale than Lubbock. The dust and cotton ginning in and around Lubbock really get my allergies going.

[norm]

What is the weather like in both cities?